LEC Spring Split 2020 Week 4 Recap: EU Rookies Are Unstoppable
Misfits extended their unbeaten run, Schalke grabbed their first win, and G2 let their lead at the top slip. Here’s a recap of the action from LEC Week 4!
Prior to the surprising results in Week 4, G2 Esports’ last 0-2 regular season weekend was over eleven months ago, after they’d already secured the number one seed for playoffs, illustrating the reigning LEC champions’ domestic dominance throughout 2019.
It was this domestic dominance that led many European viewers to believe that G2 were destined to lift their third consecutive LEC trophy in the 2020 Spring Split, but the team’s recent losses against Misfits Gaming and Schalke 04 may have swayed the audience’s opinions on the matter.
G2’s collapse means they have ceded their two-win lead at the top of the table, which has now been reduced to zero as they join Misfits Gaming and Origen in joint-first place. Four teams are close behind, all vying to finish in the playoff places, while the league’s bottom three teams continue to struggle with two or fewer victories.
Schalke’s first win of the season may have lifted them from the foot of the standings, but they’re still a long way from competing with the LEC’s top six. In terms of other shock results in Week 4, there was just one, and it is our Performance of the Week!
Week 4 Results
Day 1
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Origen
Excel Esports 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Fnatic
Schalke 04 0 – 1 Rogue
Misfits Gaming 1 – 0 G2 Esports
Day 2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Misfits Gaming
Rogue 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Schalke 04 1 – 0 G2 Esports
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Origen
Fnatic 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Performance of the Week
Fnatic 0 – 1 MAD Lions
It could be argued that one of Misfits or Schalke deserve the Performance of the Week for taking down the second-best team in the world, but G2 are known to lift their foot off the gas at times and that was certainly the case this weekend. On the other hand, you always have to be at your very best to get a result when facing seven-time EU LCS champions Fnatic.
From start to finish, this was a mature display from one of the most inexperienced rosters in the LEC. Fnatic’s overaggressive plays were matched at every corner by intelligent MAD Lions responses as the LEC’s most exciting rookie line-up looked the more seasoned of the two teams in the Match of the Week.
MAD showcased their excellent early game decision making as they picked up the first dragon, first Herald, and first tower without response from their opponents, building a 1.7k gold lead at ten minutes. The team then used this advantage not by being first to the play, but by always responding correctly and shutting down any Fnatic aggression to turn the tide of team fights in their favor.
The dominant early game display culminated in a mid lane skirmish, initiated by a Dragon’s Rage from Shadow, and finished off by Player of the Game Humanoid with a pinpoint accurate Zoe performance. This victorious team fight spelled the end for Fnatic’s chances in this match-up and sealed the win for MAD Lions as they calmly claimed both Baron Nashor and Elder Dragon before storming the Fnatic base and ending the game.
Following this result, Fnatic and MAD Lions now find themselves in joint-fourth with an identical win-loss record heading into the Spring Split’s halfway mark.
Plenty of LEC fans were hesitant to rate such a rookie-dominated line-up highly before the season started, but with such accomplished performances like this one against Fnatic, it’s clear that MAD Lions are the real deal and look set to secure a place in the playoffs in their first split.
Player of the Week
Origen – Mitchell “Destiny” Shaw
With three LEC teams achieving 2-0 records during Week 4, there was a wide selection of players to choose from for Player of the Week. One player that stood out above the rest was Origen’s new signing Destiny as he guided his team to victories against MAD Lions and Excel Esports.
If you’ve watched Origen at all this season, you’ll know exactly what their gameplan is and how well they execute it, no matter who they’re facing.
In order to be successful with such a patient, controlled approach, there needs to be constant communication between Xerxe, Nukeduck, and Destiny throughout the early game to track enemy movements and set up roams or jungle invades to maintain map control and dictate the tempo.
While this communication certainly takes time to develop, particularly with so many new names playing together for the first time, it’s clear that Origen have worked tirelessly to build synergy between these three roles, resulting in dominating performances in Week 4.
On Leona and Nautilus, Destiny provided constant pressure on the enemy jungler and mid laner as he looked to threaten roams alongside Xerxe to give Origen a pressure advantage around the center of the map. It’s this early game power that OG utilized to maintain full control of the Rift and patiently look for objectives or fights in true Origen style.
Not only does Destiny offer utility when roaming around the map, but he’s also built a strong relationship with Upset in a short space of time and together they are capable of finding kills and creating large gold disparities in the bot lane 2v2.
This was evidenced in Origen’s win against MAD Lions on W4D1 as the duo combined to find a 2v2 kill on Carzzy, mainly due to excellent Leona mechanics from Destiny.
The momentum and confidence gained from these two impressive performances could be key to the Australian support player establishing himself as one of the best in his role in the LEC this year.
As Origen look to compete with Fnatic and G2 Esports for the Spring Split title, Destiny will be a key contributor and it’s vital that he’s on top form if Origen are going to claim their first-ever LEC trophy.
Standings After Week 4
1. Misfits Gaming (6 – 2)
2. G2 Esports (6 – 2)
3. Origen (6 – 2)
4. MAD Lions (5 – 3)
5. Fnatic (5 – 3)
6. Rogue (5 – 3)
7. Excel Esports (4 – 4)
8. SK Gaming (2 – 6)
9. Schalke 04 (1 – 7)
10. Team Vitality (0 – 8)
Next. LCS Week 3 Player Power Rankings. dark